Hippo tang TTM Question

[ichthyogeek]

Well...after years of telling my parents about the white spots on the hippo tang that popped up sporadically, the infection finally got bad enough that they have to acknowledge it. Now...I have questions about the TTM especially for large fish like the hippo tang. I'd estimate it's about 8" long at this point, and it shares a 55 (my dad's idea, not mine) with two ocellaris or percula clownfish and a flame angelfish. If my parents opt to do the TTM, I'll be the one doing the majority of the work. The tank is a reef-ish tank, with GSP and mushroom anemones. So I'm not dosing copper or chloroquine phosphate, and it will lay fallow for 2+18+2 days..which will allow me to finally rework the tank and give it a nice deep clean and replace the stand with something much nicer. But onwards to the question:

If my parents decide to let me save the fish (it is their fish, not mine), will a hippo tang be able to survive for 48 hours in a 5 gallon bucket with prime for ammonia neutralization by itself? I don't trust it to not go bonkers on the clownfish and flame angel as it's already fairly nippy most of the time. The clownfish and flame angel I can actually foresee coexisting to some extent. But the tang is a completely different story. Or do I need to macgyver up some plastic bins? And can I use tap water for TTM? Will hypo-salinity be helpful during the TTM, around 1.020 or 1.015? I plan to run lots of air on the buckets, but anything I can do to make sure that they a) live, and b) are relatively stress free, is a good option for me.

Also, Tang Police: Yes. I know. I agree. You don't have to tell me. It wasn't my idea. They won't change their minds. I've tried.

 

[Squidward]

I've always tried to match salinity to your display tank. Never used tap water but it might be ok. A bucket is pretty small for an 8" fish. I would try to find a decent sized Rubbermaid container at least. Even a 10g tank. You'd need a heater in there as well. I use some nice small tunze powerheads for water movement.

 

[ichthyogeek]

Y'know...now that I think about it, now's also a great time to start getting rid of all of those intestinal parasites that make the fish have long stringy white poop as well...

 

[Hugh Mann]

You definitely want to get some Rubbermaids. More expensive than buckets, but probably cheaper than buying a new hippo. Heater and air stone. Tiny powerhead if you have one, but not 100% necessary. From what I understand of how hypo works, it's effective over months, not the days of TTM, best to keep it same as the tank water.

Humblefish has a great write up on TTM, which I believe also has steps to eliminate parasites as well.

And sincerely, from the bottom of my black heart, thank you for trying to save these fish from your parents incompetence.

 

[ichthyogeek]

Yeah, I read the sticky! I’ll be following the TTN that Humblefish wrote about, but changing water every 48 hours instead of 72.

I somehow forgot that I have 2 20H aquariums, so I guess what I’ll do is rotate the two. I might also decide to do freshwater baths/dips when doing the transfers to minimize parasite load as much as possible

 

[ichthyogeek]

Also uhhh...this is totally ich and not velvet, right? Ironically, I have never actively dealt with external parasites until now, so while I theoretically think it's ich, I don't know for certain.

 

[Uncle99]

Looks like ick.
Velvet kills fast, maybe 48 hours.....

 

[Hugh Mann]

Looks like a nasty case of ich to me.
Velvet dots are much smaller and more numerous.

Best of luck!

 

[ichthyogeek]

Wanted to provide an update! The fish made it through TTM, and got much, much better! They're now in their redecorated tank, and will hopefully remain ich free!

 

[Hugh Mann]

Excellent news! Glad to hear it.

My own Hippo is doing great. I have a transfer due today, Monday and into the Display Thursday. Mucked up the first transfer, my stupid self used the same thermometer. :/

 

[ichthyogeek]

Good luck!

Also, I strangely had a nightmare last night about the fish getting ich all over again....

 

[CindyKz]

Wanted to provide an update! The fish made it through TTM, and got much, much better! They're now in their redecorated tank, and will hopefully remain ich free!

Way to go! I know that wasn't easy, well done!